Embedded microelectronics are computerized control and/or sensor systems having dedicated functions within a larger mechanical or electrical system. These systems are embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. Embedded systems control many devices in common use today. Some estimates indicate that up to 98 percent of all microprocessors are used in embedded systems.
Modern embedded systems are most commonly based on microcontrollers (i.e. CPUs with integrated memory or peripheral interfaces). The microcontrollers/processors used may be types ranging from general purpose to those specialized for specific computations, or even custom designed for the application at hand. Embedded microelectronics typically have limited processing resources, which can make them difficult to interface with and/or program. Nonetheless, due to the rapid pace of size and cost reduction, the use embedded microelectronics for control functionality continues to increase.
One specific area where embedded microelectronics are finding increased use is in portable electronic devices. Such portable electronic devices may incorporate more than one embedded controller to control different functions of the device. In a portable device incorporating two or more embedded controllers, it is often necessary to provide complex wiring to power the embedded controllers and allow the controllers to communicate if the operation of the two or more controllers is interrelated.